Movable barrier operators of various kinds are known in the art. These include operators that effect the selective control and movement of single panel and segmented garage doors, pivoting, rolling, and swinging gates, guard arms, rolling shutters, and various other movable barriers. In general, such movable barrier operators typically operate (at least in part) by responding to a remotely sourced control signal. For example, an individual in a vehicle can manipulate a corresponding wireless remote control device to transmit an OPEN command to a given movable barrier operator to thereby cause the latter to move a corresponding movable barrier towards an opened position. It is also known to effect communications between a movable barrier operator and various other elements such as, but not limited to, tethered and un-tethered control interfaces, displays, lighting modules, alarm systems, obstacle detectors, and so forth.
One known approach to supporting such communications makes use of ternary data. Whereas many data communications rely upon binary data, ternary data has been used for at least some movable barrier operator communications. It is not always readily convenient, however, to facilitate the transmission and reception of true ternary data (i.e., data that can have any of three different states). Such problems can arise, for example, when interfacing a movable barrier operator with a peripheral element that only communicates using standard serial hardware that relies upon binary signaling.
It is also known that encryption can be used to secure a given data transmission. Unfortunately, many encryption techniques are relatively expensive to deploy. This can be prohibitive when considering the use of encryption in a highly price sensitive context such as movable barrier operators and their peripherals.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention. It will also be understood that the terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions with respect to their corresponding respective areas of inquiry and study except where specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.